Australian women are twice as likely to feel unsafe at night

The April 2026 Brand Tracker surveyed 1,458 Australian adults, asking two extra questions on night safety perception and how it has changed compared to last year. Conjointly found that 47% feel safe at night while 21% feel unsafe.

26% of women feel unsafe at night vs. just 14% of men. 31% of women say they feel less safe than a year ago, compared to 20% of men. Victoria stands apart from every other state: 28% feel unsafe (vs. 17% in NSW) and 38% say the situation has deteriorated over the past 12 months (vs. 21% in NSW).

Social housing residents and renters consistently feel less safe than homeowners, suggesting night time safety concerns are bound up with broader economic security. Under-30s report the highest unsafe feelings right now (24%), yet they are by far the most optimistic group. 16% say they feel safer than a year ago, while only 3% of over-55s say the same. Older Australians feel relatively safe today but are the most worried about where things are heading.

Night safety perception

21% of Australians feel unsafe at night.

Results by segment

Women are nearly twice as likely as men to feel unsafe at night (26% vs 14% bottom 2 box). Under-30s have the highest unsafe rating (24%). Victoria stands out with 28% feeling unsafe, well above NSW at 17%. Renters and social housing residents feel more unsafe (24% and 28%) compared to homeowners with a mortgage (17%).

Night safety perception compared to last year

26% of Australians feel less safe at night compared to one year ago.

Results by segment

Women are more likely to report worsening safety (31% feel less safe vs 20% of men). Victoria leads the deterioration: 38% feel less safe than a year ago, nearly double NSW at 21%. Under-30s have the highest unsafe rating yet are the most optimistic: 16% feel safer than a year ago vs just 3% of over-55s.